“She talking faster den the wind kin blow,” Agnes said to Abram. “Lemme go put this down, and I be back.”
“I got it. You go now ’fore it gets too late. Dem gaslamps be hanging soon,” said Abram as he took the bundle of what appeared to be clothes from Agnes.
“Your grandparents know you going to the church? And fo’ what are you going? En you had better go inside for what-all you need. Out here, nothin’ coverin’ your arms.”
Lottie gathered her cape, making sure Anna’s note was still inside the pocket, her bonnet, and her gloves, and went to meet Agnes without one good excuse for why she needed to go.
“Why is we going to that church if you comin’ out here with nothin’?”
Lottie contemplated that the same mouth she’d used for prayers earlier should not be the one to use for lies. But she also had a responsibility to Anna and the two people whose names were on that paper. “I have something to place in the collection box. A friend asked me, and I promised I would do it for her.”
“And your grandmother don’t say you kin do this tomorrow?”
Agnes was not making this easy.
“Well, no. But I can’t do it tomorrow. And I know Grand-mère would not mind, as long as I did not go alone.”
“I know sure’s my feet on this banquette, parts of this story missing somewhere. ’Less you got gold in that pocket, don’t see why we gotta go now.” She performed one of her extravagant Agnes sighs and followed it with mumblings.
Lottie walked to the central door of the cathedral, already feeling the weight of her promise lighten. She pulled the handle. Locked. She tried the other door. Locked. She tried the first door again. Locked. She pulled both handles. Still locked.
“Don’t know why you ’spect church to be open at almost dark,” said Agnes.
A rising tide of panic roiled through Lottie’s body. “Not now, Agnes. Please. Not now.” She buried her face in her hands, felt the warmth of her own breath, and willed herself to stay calm. The lives of two people, perhaps more, depended on her. Why didn’t Anna ask Gabriel to do this? Why hadn’t she asked Gabriel?
“Somebody coming to help, honey,” Agnes said as she patted Lottie’s arm.
Lottie looked up, and Agnes pointed behind her.
Gabriel asked, “What are you doing?”
“You don’t have to ask me as if I’m attempting to trespass,” snapped Lottie.
“It appears that way to people passing by,” he said. “Good evening, Agnes.”
That was when Lottie saw the stunning young woman from the opera waiting by the lamppost near the street. “What are you doing? How did you know I was here?”
“If you are that angry to find me here, I can easily leave. I didn’t know you were here until Nathalie and I left the café. And until we came closer, I didn’t realize the person shaking the church doors was you.” He took a step backward. “It seemed someone might need help. If I’m mistaken, I apologize.” He nodded toward Agnes. “Good to see you.”
“Wait. I am sorry,” Lottie said. “I promised someone I would place something in the church collection box. It must go in tonight.”
Gabriel appeared confused. “Tonight? Why does—”
“Because it does. So can you help or not?”
“Father lives behind the cathedral. We might find him there.”
As much as she wanted to, Lottie did not ignore Nathalie as she passed. Although Nathalie would not have been surprised to not be greeted by Lottie. Generally, white women did not recognize free women of color on the street. But Lottie gave her a polite smile. Gabriel told Nathalie, “Please, if you don’t mind, wait. I will be back shortly.”
Agnes stayed with Nathalie.
As they walked around the cathedral, Gabriel said, “What is this about, really? No one needs to donate to the collection box that desperately.”
Lottie hesitated, then removed the folded note from the pocket of her cape and showed it to him. “Anna said if this wasn’t in by tonight, tomorrow would be too late.”
He scanned the paper. “Why didn’t you ask me to do this?”
“To place a sheet of paper in a collection box did not seem so difficult or dangerous a task at the time. Besides,” said Lottie, taking the note back, “you obviously already had plans.” After seeing Gabriel tonight, Lottie decided their expected talk might veer in a different direction.
“If you are referring to Nathalie, she was not a ‘plan,’” he said. “She happened to be in the café when I went there after leaving you this afternoon.”